If you are in a church serving on staff or are a worship team member, then you will have no problem identifying the many different levels of participation in worship. You will have those who jump up and down, those who will sit down, and those that cross their arms and do nothing. Some will be more knowledgeable at worship than you and some less. For the most part, those in leadership will be the ones who have a good understanding of worship and are seen as the leadership in that area of ministry. We are the ones who mainly lead and teach by what we do and how we worship.
For most of us, we tend to fall in the category of being well ahead of our people in our desires and expressions of worship. There are many worship leaders who leave church each week frustrated because worship did not happen for them or their people. They may have had a great song service, but the worship seemed lacking at best. These helps are for those who fall into this category. Blessings to the churches that are right on and are true worshipers, but for those who are struggling, you have some decisions to make. Where are you? Do you know where you are in your personal worship? Do you know where you want to go? Do you know where your people are? It is important to answer these questions before we can address the situation.
I know where I am and where I would like to go in worship. My church is not there yet, and because I am an impatient person in most things, you can see how it would be difficult at times to wait on things and people to jump right in! The fact remains that most people understand very little about worship and the place it has in our lives. I have two choices I can make: I can either stay here and teach them to become worshipers, or I can leave and find a place where they already have a good understanding and help them grow even further. That is a choice we all have to make. It's like every other facet of our Christian walk, we don't become great worshipers overnight.
Once you know where your people are, you can better help them move towards being real worshipers. Be patient with them as they grow and continue to gently push them.
True worship is a humble act that causes us to forget self and focus on God. The Bible instructs us to lift our hands to the Lord. If you have never done this, it may feel awkward at first. It may even feel uncomfortable because someone may be watching you. The reality is that God desires it of us and we need to do it. Privately or corporately, we need to be obedient to what He requires of us. In days of old when a King entered the room people would rise; and when you approached the king, you would bow on one knee before him. How much more deserving is the King of Kings and Savior of your soul? Push people out of their comfort zones and into true worship. It will be worth the wait when you see people responding to God in worship. It is an awesome thing.
No matter where your people are at
. they can go further. Never let them get complacent in their worship by continually challenging them to grow and become life worshipers. The two greatest things I have experienced are witnessing people come to Christ and then learning to worship God in a manner that is pleasing to him.
Experiencing Worship, The Study